Concrete forms stripping tool



Nov. 23, 1954 E. E. WILSON 2,695,157

CONCRETE FORM STRIPPING TOOL Filed May 15, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Z7INVENTOR.

EVERETT E. WlLSON @3 I .fgv a a Z ATTORNEY NOV. 1954 E. E. WILSON,695,157

CONCRETE FORM STRIPPING TOOL Filed May 15, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR. 33 EVERETT E. WILSON ATTORNEY bars, hammers, and the like.

United States Patent CONCRETE FORMS STRIPPING TOOL V Everett E. Wilson,Detroit, Mich.

Application May 15, 1951, Serial No. 226,449

2 Claims. (Cl. 254-131) This invention relates to hand tools and moreparticularly to a novel hand tool used particularly advantageously fordismantling forms used in concrete constructions. The presentapplication is a continuation-inpart of my co-pending application SerialNo. 60,245, filed November 16, 1948, and now abandoned.

It ,is commonly known that in erecting reinforced concreteconstructions, such as buildings or portions thereof, bridges, stadiums,dams, retaining walls, and constructions of numerous other types, steelreinforcements are first erected in a certain manner, whereupon woodenmolds or forms are built-up around such reinforcements to providemolding cavities of desired shape and having smooth inner surfaces.Thereupon wet concrete is poured into such forms and is permitted to setand harden therein. After the concrete hardens, the wooden forms aredismantled or removed, or as it is termed in the art, the forms arestripped.

It can be easily appreciated that in order to provide smooth surfaces oflarge areas, closely fitted boards must be used. Moreover, since heavyweights have to be supported and high forces resisted without sagging bysuch forms, form boards must be properly reinforced from the outsidewith planks nailed at frequent intervals or otherwise secured in asubstantial and dependable manner to the boards. Thus such forms presentas a rule strongly built constructions disassembling of which re quiresskill and considerable efforts. Similarly to other operations inconcrete constructions, stripping of forms is done by special crews wellaccustomed to work in various difficult positions and in surroundingswhich may present danger of sudden collapse of supporting structures,and understanding the order in which dismantling of forms must proceedfor reducing the efforts required.

In spite of highly specialized nature of such stripping operations andefforts required thereby, they have been performed for many years, andin fact from the very advent of the concrete building industry, with theaid of common hand tools, such as conventional wrecking Such tools haveproved to be totally inadequate and inefficient in stripping operations.They are exceedingly inconvenient or even nearly impossible ofapplication in many instances, do not provide sufiicient leverage andtherefore often require very heavy effort, are not fully safe, and ingeneral are responsible for great waste of time, effort, materials, limband often life in such operations.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a novel toolwhereby the above difiiculties and disadvantages are overcome andlargely eliminated, and form-stripping operations are rendered more'safe,easy, and efiicient.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel hand toolof great universality and efiiciency in form-stripping operation inconcrete constructions, and of great general utility in construction andsimilar work.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a noveltool particularly advantageous for formstripping and similar operations,which tool can be applied in many instances where conventional toolssuch as wrecking bars either cannot be applied at all, or can be appliedwith difiiculty or only after some. other tools, such as a wedge and ahammer, have been first used for aportion of the intended operation. 7 q

A still further object of the present invention is to provide animproved hand tool for form-stripping and Patented Nov. 23, 1954 similaroperations, which does not damage appreciably in the process ofstripping the material of forms.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide animproved hand tool for form-stripping and similar operations, which canbe passed through a relatively narrow hole or slot and thus be used inotherwise inexcessible places.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide animproved hand tool for form-stripping and similar operations, which toolpossesses nearly the maximum strength and rigidity for its weight andconvenience of handling.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide animproved tool of the foregoing character which is simple and rugged inconstruction; safe and dependable in use, convenient to handle, to carryto and from work and to ship, and is relatively inexpensive tomanufacture.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent fromthe following description, taken in connection with the appendeddrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating on a small scale my noveltool.

Fig. 2 is a side view on a larger scale of the tool illustrated in Fig.1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the arm of the tool, the section beingtaken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a top view partly in section of the tool shown in Fig. 2, thesection being taken on the section plane passing through the line 4-4 ofFig. 2, the observer being presumed to look downward.

Fig. 5 illustrates the use of the tool for removing a plank the accessto which is open only through a narrow nitch between the plank and aconcrete wall. 7

Fig. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the use of my novel tool forturning a stake in the ground or turning a two-by-four plank on aconstruction job.

Fig. 7 illustrates the use of my novel tool for pulling oif atwo-by-four from a form board to which it is nailed.

Fig. 8 illustrates application of my novel tool for bending steelreinforcement bar.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view illustrating the use of my novel tool forraising a heavy timber standing on its end.

Fig. 10 illustrates the manner in which my novel tool fits into astandard carpenters tool-carrying box.

Fig. 11 is a top view similar in part to Fig. 4 and showing my noveltool of a modified construction.

Fig. 12 is a perspective view illustrating the use of the tool of Fig.11 for tightening aperforated steel strip, which is a common operationin construction work.

It is to be understood that the invention isnotlimited in itsapplication to the details of construction and arrangement of partsillustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capableof other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in variousways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminologyemployed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

In accordance with the invention, I discard elements of conventionalhand tool .heretofore used for formstripping, such as hooks, naildrawing curved ends and the like. I provide a hand tool having a body orarm with a handle on one end and a head on'the other, on which headthere are provided two shouldered fingers with chiselshaped ends, eacharranged at approximately degree angle to the tool arm. The fingers arestraight and not curved as in conventional structures, the length ofsaid fingers and location of the shoulders thereon are so selected thatthe fingers provide sufiicient leverage for usual applications instripping operations without imperiling the strength of the tool, andapply required effort at the most advantageous points of standard partsof wooden forms such as two-by-four planks, nail intervals at boards ofstandard widths, and the like. The tool is so designed that it may bemade in a number of standard lengths using the same forging or upsettingdies.

In the drawings there is shown by way of example a novel tool embodyingthe present invention. Referring to Figs. 1-4, the tool illustratedtherein comprises an arm 19 consisting of sections or portionsdesignated in Fig. 2 by the letters A, B and C. Beyond the lowerextremity of the section A the arm is bent at an angle of approximately90 degrees and forms a head on which there are provided two fingers 20disposed with respect to each other at an angle from 70 to 95 degrees orin other words forming an included angle of such a magnitude betweenthemselves. In the embodiment illustrated the included angle isapproximately 78 degrees. The fingers are of hexagonal cross-sectionwith the flat sides thereof being within the bottom plane of the tool,perpendicular to the tool arm.

The free ends of the fingers 20 are tapered down to form chisel-shapedends as shown at 21 and are also shaped to provide shoulders 22 adjacentsaid ends. The spread of said fingers between the inner shoulders 22(indicated in Fig. 4 by the character D) is preferably between 3 and 3%inches. The length of the fingers is so selected that they extendforwardly from the back of the arm for a distance (indicated in Fig. 4by the numeral E) of between 3 /2 to 5 inches. A tool with thisdimension being equal to 4% of an inch actually made and tried gave verygood results. By virtue of such a construction the tool providessufficient leverage in fingers forwardly, backwardly, to the right or tothe left, up and down, as required in the great majority of strippingoperations, considering the length of the arm and strength of the tool.Moreover, provision of shoulders 22 spread as mentioned above insures aproper hand grip on an end of a standard two-by-four as shown in Fig. 6.

I prefer to make the total length of the tool to be slightly less than30 inches, thus insuring that the. tool goes lengthwise into a standardcarpenters box 30 inches long. As is shown in Fig. 10, my novel toolfits along one corner of such a box with the fingers extending along theend corners thereof. Thus my novel tool can be conveniently carried to ajob together with the rest of the tools and it occupies very littlespace in the box. It iswell known that many conventional tools such assome wrecking bars cannot be so conveniently carried, and if placed in abox occupy entirely too much space therein and disorganizes arrangementof other tools. In addition to the convenience of carrying, my improvedtool may also be shipped in a tool-carrying box, i. c. it does notrequire special packaging or handling.

The arm of the tool is made generally decreasing in cross-section towardthe free end thereof. I prefer to make the lower portion of the arm forapproximately 4 inches of approximately cylindrical shape, in order toincrease the strength of the tool and to prevent breakage thereof nearthe head of the tool, that is near the fingers thereof. From said nearlycylindrical portion I prefer to make the arm of a uniformly taperingcross-section for a distance of approximately 12 inches, bringing thethinner end of such tapering cross-section to approximately .8 of aninch in diameter. Thereupon I prefer to make the tool cylindrical i. e.of uniform diameter. The cylindrical portion near the head is indicatedin Fig. 2 by the numeral A, the tapering portion by the numeral B, andthe thinner cylindrical portion by the numeral C. Should it be desiredto increase the length of the tool, such an increase is effected byincreasing the length of the portion C, but without affecting the headof the tool or portions A and B of the arm. By virtue of such aconstruction my improved tool may be made in several sizes using thesame forging or upsetting dies. It should also be appreciated that byvirtue of such a construction the portion C is insured to be ofsuificient thickness to provide or furnish a dependable grip or hold.

The hexagonal cross-section of the fingers 20 and its illustratedarrangement in the tool are important in order that the tool stand fiatin its upright position and contact the supporting surface at arelatively large area; also that the side ribs of the hexagonal barforming the fingers 20 increase the holding power of the fingers byslightly digging into the material of the work such as a wooden board ora steel bar. Moreover, the fiat top and bottom surfaces of the hexagonalbar are made to merge into the chisel surfaces much easier as far asmanufacturing of the tool is concerned.

At the free end of the arm of my improved tool I provide a portiongenerally designated by the numeral extending at an angle to the arm andprovided with a chisel-shaped end, which end is split to provide anailpulling recess.

At the back side of the arm and along its portion A there is provided aflat spot 26 extending from the rounded heel 27 of the tool head towardthe free end of the tool for any desired distance such as approximately3 K14- inches. By virtue of such a construction the tool may be used todrive nails or be employed for pounding against boards and the like.Ridges 28 are formed on the heel 27 to prevent slippage of the tool inuse.

By virtue of the construction described above my novel tool can be usedwith success and ease in situations wherein conventional wrecking barswith hooks as well as similar tools cannot be used at all. Referringpartrcularly to Fig. 5, wherein the tool is used for separating atwo-by-four plank 29 accessible only from a narrow nitch along theconcrete wall 30, it can be clearly seen that the degree angle betweenthe arm and the fingers enables starting of the tool in the positionshown with the aid of a wedge 31 to pry the two-by-four for a smalldistance, whereupon complete separation may be effected by rocking theend of the arm from side to side, forward or backwards, until completeseparation of the twoby-four is attained. It is also important toappreciate that the sides of the fingers are such that in prying a boardthe pulling finger operates in line with a nail instead of only at theedge of the board, thereby preventing splitting of the board.

It should be understood that the fingers 20 provide leverage for eachother, and therefore the tool may be moved in the plane of one finger tooperate the other finger, as shown in Fig. 7.

Fig. 8 illustrates bending of a steel reinforcing bar, which operationis constantly required in concrete work. Performing such an operation isnot possible with a conventional wrecking bar.

Fig. 9 shows use of my improved tool for raising heavy timbers standingon its end, or a leg of a machine frame, and the like. It can be clearlyseen from an examination of Fig. 9 that a conventional wrecking barcannot be used at all in such an instance because of its hook, untilsuch heavy body is first raised for a distance of several inches withthe aid of a wedge or other device. Moreover, providing no lateralsupport, a conventional bar is very dangerous to use in such instances,since the heavy body may easily slip off and cause an accident. It canalso be understood in view of the foregoing that my improved tool may bepassed through a narrow hole or a slot between boards for reachingspaces which cannot be reached with hand. Such instances are commonwhere steel reinforcements have to be somewhat realigned through aclean-out hole provided at the bottom of a form for a concrete column ora wall. Because of such feature my tool can be used to reach for toolsthat fell down into a crack, a narrow ditch, and in similar instances.

I have also found that my improved tool can be used for raising from theground boards and planks without bending to do so. This operates toreduce fatigue of a workman which now cannot use a conventional wreckingbar or a hammer for such an operation but has to bend down every timewhen picking up a board or plank or some tool is required. It may alsobe used for raising tools, planks, and the like from water, which is ofparticular advantage in winter time when wetting hands in ice cold waterand wind is most unpleasant. Numerous other operations can also beperformed with my novel tool, which operations heretofore requiredequipment other than hand tools or had to be performed by hand in a moredifficult manner. The above described instances are therefore only a fewexamples of such operations.

While my novel tool is not intended for nail pulling with application ofthe pull directly on the nail head, and while in most instances the end25 is sufficient for such a purpose, fingers of my tool may be split ateither chisel-shaped ends to provide nail recesses 32 as shown in Fig.11. Such expedient increases the leverage as compared to that availablewith one finger tool and in addition to nail pulling also facilitatesstrip-tightening operations such as illustrated in Fig. 12, wherein asteel strip 33 is being tightened using the split finger of the tool onthe nail 34 passed through one of the perfora tions in the strip 33.Holding the strip tight, the nail 35 is then driven for fixing the stripin place.

While my tool is herein illustrated and described as a stripping tool, asmaller tool of the same nature may be made for general household use,and take place of several hand tools required in a home.

By virtue of the above described construction the objects of the presentinvention listed above and numerous additional advantages are attained.

I claim:

1. In a hand tool of the character described, a substantially straightbar having one end forming a handle, two and only two substantiallyidentical and straight fingers provided on the other end of said bar andextending therefrom at substantially right angles to said bar, saidfingers forming between them an included angle of beween 70 and 95degrees and having a chisel-like free en s.

2. In a hand tool of the character described, a substantially straightbar having one end forming a handle, two and only two substantiallyidentical and straight fingers provided on the other end of said bar andextending therefrom at substantially right angles to said bar, saidfingers forming between them an included angle of approximately 90degrees and having chisel-like free ends, and a rounded shoulder on eachof said fingers adjacent its free end and within said included angle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 977,986 Waddell Dec. 6, 1910 1,030,660 Hunt June 25, 19121,405,339 Schoonover Jan. 31, 1922 1,486,820 Wilder Man-31, 19241,517,591 Shook Dec. 2, 1924 2,087,148 Hempy July 13, 1937

